In 2009, an MMA promotion based out of Santa Monica, CA held its first card. Bellator‘s humble beginnings included airing its earliest cards on tape-delayed status the day after they took place on ESPN Deportes.
On April 3, 2009, Bellator 1 took place from Hollywood, Florida. All but one of the fights that evening ended by stoppage. Since then, Bellator has bounced around from network to network, finding a home on Paramount Global-owned properties, including its current partner, Showtime.
San Diego’s Pechanga Arena plays host to the landmark Bellator 300, although officially, this card is the promotion’s 306th lifetime show.